D19: Khowarib - Khowarib Schlucht - Kamanjab (128km)

D19: Khowarib - Khowarib Schlucht - Kamanjab (128km)

Many of these Corn Crickets visited us.

Each one of us had some extra food 

which we could use for an early brunch - delicious!

The Khowarib Community Camp 

has very good bathrooms: 

toilet left, hot shower right, mirror and washbasin centre.

A lovely view from the bathroom over 

the westerly section of the Schlucht.

We set off towards the Schlucht. 

At first the road was as usual: dusty, sandy, flat.

This is a view of the first challenge we faced: 

a deep donga through the Hoanib River 

and a very steep climb on the opposite side 

to get out of the river.

According to Schneider, 

"thrusting, observed in the western Khowarib Schlucht,, is syntectonic and much of it has been subsequently folded and overthrust" (2004:256).

The road was stoney and twisted up and down through the foothills of the mountains that hemmed it in.

Will this become sandstone in ages to come?

Sections of the road followed the Hoanib River bed - deep, deep sand!

Although we only drove through the western end of the Schlucht, the surrounding mountains were magnificent.

Here too, we came across treeburning. 

Why is this done?

A mountain side from close-by.

At Umumbaatjie village the road splits. 

We took the northern road as BigBlue had developed a worrying sound on its 4x4 drive. 

Quite soon the road's surface turned to dust - 

deeeep dust, knee-deep!

This bakkie was stuck. 

No matter how we tried to tow it out, 

it remained stuck.

Perhaps the load it carried contributed to the problem?

Eventually the road normalised - it was just rough.

A magnificent Shepherd's Tree along our route.

Some enormous Mopanie trees.

The Kamdescha Veterinary Control point was ahead - 

that was one of the reasons we'd had 

such a good breakfast. 

NO raw meat is allowed to travel 

from the north towards the south.

Is our group together? 

The cloud of dust tells us that Tom is on our tail.

Is this the fence which is supposed to keep 

sicknesses from moving south?

Soon after the control point, 

we joined the tar road leading to Ruacana - 

it's amazing that it looks differently 

when travelling in the other direction. 

Our cars billowed dust in spite of us travelling on tar.

A giraffe quickly moved from the shoulder of the road 

to safer pastures.

Some aloes surprised us with their red-hot flowers.

Alpec (at last). 

Although they focus on their own tented camp 
more than on individual camping, 
it still was a pleasing place to camp.

Johan prepared our last communal supper - 

Tom was leaving the group tomorrow.

A stick-insect came to visit us.